Christmas Tradition
by Lucifer Rosemaunt
Summary: ErikRaoul slash crackfic so don't expect much. Alcohol and mistletoe, what more could you ask for?
1. Christmas Eve

Disclaimer: Please don't sue. I don't own POTO... All I own is an overactive imagination.

Summary: ErikRaoul slash quasi crackfic. Something for the holidays.

Warning(s): homosexual content. It's slash, people!

Pairing(s): ErikRaoul

A/N: This is just me writing a Christmas story. Whatever comes to my mind is what's going in this story so don't expect too much. I hope you enjoy it anyway. It might not make any sense in the end, but knowing my mind, there will at least be some good WAFFy action between Erik and Raoul (unlike in my current fic UTC). As an added bonus, I'm not going to hurt Raoul. He's only going to be drunk:oP Pure awesome-ness, right?

Oh, and I have no idea what timeframe I would place this in.

o.o.o.o

Christmas Tradition

Christmas Eve

o.o.o.o

By: Lucifer Rosemaunt

o.o.o.o

It all started when Andre convinced Firmin that a Christmas party for the employees of the Opera Populaire was needed. As thanks for the wonderful jobs that everyone did, Andre argued that it was necessary. Firmin was not convinced though. It was simply another unnecessary expense in his opinion.

That was until Andre said, "Just think. All those chorus girls will be drunk and we'll be the most eligible bachelors available."

Firmin thought about it for a moment before replying, "I would not want to kill the Christmas spirit. Of course we must have this party."

Andre smiled triumphantly. His spirits were dampened when Firmin continued.

"I will have to invite the Vicomte."

But considering the ratio of chorus girls to managers plus one Vicomte, Andre considered that it would not be too much of a burden to invite the patron. He nodded enthusiastically.

They set out to find the perfect date to have this party. Going through all the practice schedules and their business meetings, they found that the only date available was Christmas Eve. There was to be a performance on Christmas day. Nothing spectacular, but the orchestra and the singers would perform renditions of well-known carols.

They wondered if everyone would still be drunk by then, but they had about a day to become sober, so the invitations were sent. Only the employees, the managers, and the Vicomte were invited. In the spirit of Christmas, Andre even slipped in an invitation to the Phantom of the Opera.

Everyone was excited upon receiving the invitations that it was the talk amongst everyone for the weeks leading up to the party itself.

o.o.o

When Raoul read the invitation, he was excited. He didn't have anything planned for Christmas or the days surrounding it since he had no one special with whom to spend it. He had planned to go to the Opera Populaire's concert held on Christmas itself, but beyond that, he had been expecting a rather uneventful Christmas Eve and Day. He had been looking for something a little more peaceful and less hectic actually, because since becoming the patron, his life had been surprisingly busier.

This party seemed interesting though. He would be able to see Christine and if he did not like it, he could always just leave early. He was certain the managers only invited him because he was the patron. Still, it was something to do.

Sitting at the party for the last hour had been boring however. Raoul planned on going home, but he did not want to go home to that empty estate just yet. Everyone else seemed to be having a good time. The music was good, the company ideal, but Raoul found himself frowning and sitting on a bench against the wall. The managers had entertained him for only moments before going off to gawk at the dancers. Christine had also talked with him, but she hadn't been interested in talking. She had wanted to dance, and since Raoul hadn't felt like dancing, she had left him to find someone who wanted to. It wasn't his fault, he just didn't want to dance.

So, instead, Raoul started to drink. Drinking however, made Raoul's inhibitions slip, his maturity drop a few years, and his courage increase to an unsafe level. Luckily for him, he could be reasonably well-behaved as long as nothing caught his attention. So as the night wore on, the only indication that the Vicomte was anything but composed was the sporadic giggling fits as he watched everyone.

o.o.o

Erik had not known what to make of the invitation that he had received. He was wondering if it was some ploy of the managers so that he would not ruin their party. He had not planned on ruining it anyway, but the party was interesting enough to catch his attention. Naturally, he would be there so an invitation was entirely unnecessary, but it had been nice. He had to hand it to the managers. They managed to surprise him every now and then.

For him, Christmas held no special meaning. The only thing the date indicated was a time when his opera house was decorated with unnecessary plants and candles. But, since he didn't have anything particular planned Christmas Eve, he decided to at least watch the party.

He had known Christmas meant nothing for him, but he of course had forgotten how annoyed he became watching people be happy when he himself was miserable. He was about to leave when he saw someone who looked like he shared his unhappiness. The Vicomte was sitting and pouting at everyone. Erik's anger dissipated. He laughed at Raoul's situation but stopped once he realized it was the same for him. Everyone was enjoying the party while he was on the sidelines watching.

Having nothing else to do, he settled down to watch. The music was horrible, the company annoying, but Erik found himself watching them nonetheless.

His eyes seemed drawn to the Vicomte however. So, he watched as Raoul drank one alcoholic beverage after another. At first he thought that the Vicomte had incredibly good countenance for that much alcohol. Then, the first giggling fit hit and Erik was stunned. The wide-eyed look on the Vicomte's face when he saw Firmin groping a dancer seemed so innocent and out of place that Erik wondered if Raoul should still be allowed at this party.

Raoul stopped giggling suddenly and leaned forward with interest. Erik followed his gaze and saw Andre casually walking a dancer over to a doorway. He realized what was happening a moment later when he pointed up to the mistletoe then proceeded to kiss her rather lewdly.

They left, but Raoul's gaze, and thus Erik's, was drawn back when moments later Firmin brought someone over and proceeded to kiss her. Erik wondered about what Raoul was thinking as Andre and Firmin repeated the process many times.

He looked around the room for a moment to gauge the overall mood and he glanced towards the Vicomte only to find him missing. Erik scanned the room immediately checking the corner of the room that had all the drinks, but he was not there. Erik found him talking to Christine and Meg, both of whom were very drunk. Raoul had lost the wide-eyed look and goofy grin. He looked surprisingly composed for someone who had consumed the amount of alcohol Erik had seen him consume. Raoul pointed over towards the direction of the mistletoe and brought them over.

Erik was incensed to think he was trying to kiss Christine so he moved closer. He suspected that the Vicomte was trying to prey on her helplessness in her drunken state. However, as they approached the mistletoe, Raoul pushed both Christine and Meg under it giggling proudly and pointing. Erik was close enough to hear him announce a little too loudly but with as much seriousness as he could muster, "Christmas tradition states you must kiss."

Meg and Christine shrugged and kissed each other on the cheek. Erik could only stand and watch. He wondered what Raoul was trying to do, but then stopped thinking upon hearing Raoul's next statement.

Raoul giggled, but shook his head. "On the lips."

Both girls looked at him unbelieving. Erik also shared the look, but waited to see if Christine and Meg would do it.

"If you don't," he managed to stay serious, "you'll be cursed until next Christmas." Raoul nodded sagely.

Erik wondered who would believe such nonsense, but looking at the girls, he knew the answer: very drunk people.

Both girls, believing in his serious manner, looked stricken and proceeded to kiss each other chastely on the lips. They looked to Raoul expectantly to see if it had been enough to save them from the curse.

Raoul stifled a giggled and shook his head again. "Nope. Needs tongue for at least ten seconds." Raoul held up both his hands.

"What?" they both exclaimed.

Raoul shrugged his face serious again. He started to turn away saying, "I don't really care. You were the ones that stood under it. It's your curse."

He waited with his back turned towards them. Erik watched in eager anticipation. He hoped they would not remember that Raoul _had_ actually pushed them under the mistletoe.

Both girls pouted, but looked resigned to do it. Raoul had been peeking over his shoulder to watch their reactions.

"I'll keep count," Raoul suggested. He turned around and looked eagerly at them.

They nodded and kissed each other. At first they were tentative at opening their mouths, but they got into it, their tongues entwining with each other. Raoul could only watch. His mouth was agape and he was thoroughly turned on. Erik found himself in a similar position. Both men whispered a breathy "whoa" at the same time.

Raoul was certain ten seconds had passed, but he didn't feel like saying anything just yet.

They finished kissing and looked at him. Raoul just nodded, his mouth still open. He gave them a thumbs up and watched as Christine and Meg walked away as they laughed and smiled to each other as though nothing had happened.

Raoul didn't move for a while. He just stared at the mistletoe, and Erik feared when he smiled sinisterly and left to go into the crowd. Raoul had found his entertainment for the night. So, too had Erik, but he was worried all the same.

Raoul would go out and convince people to follow him through various means and proceeded to persuade that the Christmas tradition and curse were both true. Erik looked on at their stupidity in awe. Every single person that Raoul managed to bring under the mistletoe believed his story. Erik had never heard of the Christmas tradition of the twenty-second (Raoul had been inspired by Christine and Meg to raise the number) kiss with tongue, but he was amused nonetheless. What was more amusing was the fact that Raoul never had to explain what the curse actually entailed. Upon hearing 'curse', they would immediately kiss. He did wonder many times however how much alcohol those people were actually consuming.

Raoul and Erik found themselves watching many of the chorus girls kissing each other. For a while, Andre and Firmin stood to the side and watched Raoul work his magic before wanting to get some action of their own. The two also found themselves watching as Madame Giry and Monsieur Reyer kissed. It was like watching a carriage accident. They couldn't look away.

As the party was dwindling down, Raoul felt very accomplished, but he was beginning to feel very tired. He had made almost everyone kiss, but he realized he had yet to get his own traditional Christmas twenty-second kiss with tongue. He was planning to leave, but he could not just yet. However, he knew that he couldn't just go out himself and bring a person to the mistletoe since no one trusted him anymore. So, he hid near the mistletoe waiting to jump the next person who stood underneath the mistletoe. He needed that Christmas kiss lest he be cursed as well for standing so close to it without kissing anyone. He was getting impatient as he waited knowing that his bed was calling him, but he waited eagerly nonetheless.

Erik, who had been watching Raoul's whole crusade thoroughly amused, had looked at the people still left in the room wondering who the next victims would be. He looked towards the doorway only to see that the Vicomte was missing once more. Thinking that Raoul had finally ended his crusade, he went to investigate. He wanted to see the mistletoe up close since he had never paid much attention to it. Now, he would never look at that plant in the same way ever again.

He reached the doorway and looked through it wondering what could have dragged the Vicomte away from the door that he had been guarding most of the night when someone jumped out from behind him. When he felt someone grabbing his face, Erik thought he was being attacked, but he was shocked to find lips on his own and a probing tongue seeking entrance. He was forced to close his eyes lest he become cross-eyed, but worse for him was the fact that his mind decided to shut off completely. His hands found their way to the person's hips and stayed their while the stranger's arms circled around his neck. The lips were so smooth and coaxing that he found his own lips responding and opening to accept the probing tongue. The mouth tasted of alcohol and something sweeter. He couldn't describe it, but he felt intoxicated himself. When his mind finally caught up to the moment, the kiss ended. When he opened his eyes, he saw a very proud Vicomte who pecked him once again on the lips before laughing and rushing out of the opera house.

Erik watched him leave. His body was still not moving. He could not comprehend what had just happened. Between the thoughts of what he should have done – like push him away when he first kissed him, and what had actually happened – like possibly enjoying it, he was torn on whether he approved of the outcome of what had occurred. Touching his lips, he looked up at the mistletoe. He would indeed never look at the plant in the same way ever again.

o.o.o.o

End ch01

word count: 2,227

Ch02 pending.

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A/N: Don't forget to R/R (Read and Review)!

And this is where that male concept of every girl being one drink away from a lesbian experience pops up. We can't help it.

Not as much ErikRaoul action as I thought there would be. Lot of MegChristine action though.

Ahh….. carriage accident. I hear those are horrible.

I'm in a very weird mood right now. Please excuse me.

I was thoroughly amused writing it, hope you were in reading it. It's nothing spectacular though. -- I know.


	2. Christmas Day

Disclaimer: Please don't sue. I don't own POTO... All I own is an overactive imagination.

Summary: ErikRaoul slash quasi crackfic. Something for the holidays.

Warning(s): homosexual content. It's slash, people!

Pairing(s): ErikRaoul

A/N: Ha! Chapter 02. You know, writing this I forgot that this was just supposed to be some short drabble, and I kinda got into it. But I stopped myself because if this became a story I would never write UTC. I guess I just don't multitask that well. It just seemed weird after all that angst in UTC that Erik and Raoul will just get together by the end of this fic since you know it's only 2 chapters and I totally want them to make out. But I found myself thinking, "Why would he suddenly just want to kiss Raoul?" Then, I got back to myself and said, who the hell cares why. He just does.

So, now you know how much I actually hold conversations in my head and how this story is unbelievable, but I did say it was a crackfic. I shouldn't actually care what the characters are like since that's already prescribed. So, here. Just read it or not. I no longer care.

o.o.o.o

Christmas Tradition

Christmas Day

o.o.o.o

By: Lucifer Rosemaunt

o.o.o.o

Raoul did not wake up until after midday. When he did, he really wished he hadn't. He had the worst headache ever and saw no point in getting up. Half of Christmas Day had already passed and the only reason he did get up was because he was starving. He hadn't eaten a very heavy dinner, which might explain why he had gotten drunk so easily the night before – he ignored the amount of alcohol he had consumed, and now he had missed breakfast. Between the pain in his head and his stomach, he figured if he could at least assuage one of those pains, he should.

So, he got up just barely remembering that he had promised the managers he would go to the concert tonight. When he did remember, he cursed all his luck and alcohol and swore never to touch another alcoholic beverage again. Not that it helped his situation right now, but it made him feel a little better. After lunch, his headache had also dulled enough for him to be able to get a little excited about the concert. He got through most of the day thinking the only thing he had to worry about was not falling asleep during the concert.

By the time he reached the opera house, about an hour earlier than the actual concert so as to avoid all the people, the headache had at least gone away. He avoided the managers embarrassed because he thought the only thing he did the night before at the party was become obscenely drunk. He could only vaguely remember drinking so much, but he remembered he had been drunk. He did not remember anything else until he saw Christine and Meg talking to each other. A wide grin broke out on his face without even realizing why until he remembered them kissing. Then he grinned wider and thanked god for the holidays, mistletoe, and alcohol – which he forgot he had cursed only hours before upon waking. They hadn't noticed him so he let them slip by.

He remembered being bored and drinking away his boredom. He even remembered watching Andre and Firmin take advantage of the mistletoe last night and his decision to entertain himself. He had thought the idea then had been brilliant. He could not quite remember why he had wanted so badly to watch people kiss though. He did not particularly care now though.

Walking to his box seat, he recalled his adventures the night before realizing he had been very busy. It had been a very successful night considering every time he now saw Christine and Meg, he saw them kissing. Not to mention all the ballet dancers he could not look at without grinning. However, he grimaced when he saw Madame Giry and Monsieur Reyer. That was something he would probably regret for the rest of his life. He should have avoided that pair no matter how drunk he was.

It wasn't until he entered the empty auditorium and was just about to sit in his box seat did he remember his last act of the night. Upon remembering, he quickly stood up and cursed.

"Well, that isn't proper language from the patron," an all too familiar voice replied.

Raoul jumped backwards away from the entrance of the box seat and managed to almost fling himself over the railing. He caught himself and blushed when he saw the Phantom watching him. That was embarrassing. He wished he had just stayed in bed. In fact, he wished he could take back what occurred last night. Actually, he wished he could have done a lot more than just fall asleep last night because he was fairly certain he was going to die now. Admittedly, the kiss was very good since it had lasted longer than the prescribed twenty seconds, but… but, he had been drunk, so who was he to remember if the kiss had been good or bad.

Erik had been standing in the patron's box for the past few hours. He had stood there waiting and thinking. He knew he had to confront to he Vicomte, but what was he to do? He didn't know what the proper way to react to what happened last night. Should he kill him or just injure him? Those seemed to be the only two options that kept coming to mind. There was a third option, but he did not even want to contemplate it. The blonde had stolen his first kiss so he had to be punished. It was as simple as that.

But when Raoul finally arrived, the same paralysis that had taken over his body last night returned. His initial plan was to surprise the Vicomte upon entrance and then do some bodily harm – he had yet to solidify what act that was however. Instead, all he could do was stare stupidly at the boy and say insignificant words.

It would have been easier had his lips not been tingling from the memory of the sensation of Raoul's lips on his. Instead, he stood and could only stare at the patron.

Raoul met the Phantom's gaze uncertainly. With the mask on, he could not tell what expression the man held. The only thing Raoul knew was the fact that he was blocking the only exit.

"Merry Christmas," he offered, shrugging. What else could he say? Sorry I stuck my tongue down your throat last night. He had run that scenario through his mind and its results weren't very promising.

Still, Erik did not reply. He did not know what to do. Inaction had always been deadly on his part. His inaction had allowed himself to become a sideshow freak. He hadn't been frozen like this since then. Why would it occur now?

Raoul was wondering what to do next. Start pleasant conversation? He was really only biding time until the Phantom decided to kill him. But one thing was bothering him. From what he could remember that kiss had been good and the phantom had been kissing back. Was that all just the alcohol talking?

Figuring he would have liked to live with no regrets, Raoul for the second time in his life grabbed the phantom's face and kissed him. He was pleased to find that not only did the phantom not push him off but he responded quite passionately in return. Raoul found his own lips being coaxed open, to which he gladly obliged. It felt too good to kiss this man. His tongue just knew how to stroke his own and Raoul could not suppress the moan that escaped his lips.

Erik decided that the third option had actually been the best. He pulled Raoul closer, pulling him from the waist. He was glad that he was taking the lead now, and Raoul's eagerness more than assuaged his doubts about responding to the kiss.

Finally pulling away, the phantom's hands had yet to leave his waist and both were out of breath.

"Christmas tradition?" Erik asked.

Raoul grinned and replied before leaning in to kiss him again, "If you're offering."

o.o.o.o

End ch02

word count: 1,182

End of Story.

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A/N: Don't forget to R/R (Read and Review)!

Blah on that part. I didn't know how to end it. Such a weird story and to think I worked on this instead of UTC. How crazy of me! Don't be too mad. I'll get it up. I don't know if before Christmas though. I have a lot of Christmas parties to go to. I figure any place I get free food is a good place to go. But I think that's just remnants of the mentality from my past years in college.


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